Da boid is dead

[red-beard]

Sen Robert Byrd, longest serving Senator, former KKK member, is dead.

Robert Byrd, Longest-Serving U.S. Senator, Dies at 92 - WSJ.com

[Rick Lee]

Well, he was entertaining when he still had his faculties, but could barely walk or speak for the last few years. He had quite a staff who did everything for him. Maybe he'll be replaced with someone who's had a real job before and isn't looking for a lifetime as a politician. IIRC, Byrd got his JD at GWU by going to night classes after he was already a US Senator.

[The Gaijin]

Is his seat filled by special election or appointment?

[red-beard]

Appointment. But the seat will be up for election this fall and then again in 2012. If he had waited until the end of the week to expire, the appoint would have been good to 2012.

[Racerbvd]

Only the Dems would keep a former leader of the KKK in office for over 50 years years.

Filibuster of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Byrd joined with other Southern and border state Democrats to filibuster the Civil Rights Act of 1964,[21] personally filibustering the bill for 14 hours.,


In 1944, Byrd wrote to segregationist Mississippi senator Theodore Bilbo:[11]

“ I shall never fight in the armed forces with a Negro by my side... Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds. ”
— Robert C. Byrd, in a letter to Sen. Theodore Bilbo (D-MS), 1944,

In the early 1940s, he organized a 150-member klavern, or chapter, of the Klan in Sophia, W.Va., and was chosen its leader at a meeting. After the meeting, Joel L. Baskin, the Klan’s grand dragon for the region, suggested that Mr. Byrd use his “talents for leadership” by going into politics.

“Suddenly, lights flashed in my mind!” Mr. Byrd later wrote. “Someone important had recognized my abilities.”...

[red-beard]

Byron, we know he was KKK, but photoshopped pictures are not helpful

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by red-beard

Byron, we know he was KKK, but photoshopped pictures are not helpful

I agree. we all know that the KKK was started and promoted by and was almostly exclusively made up of southern democrats, there is no reason to rub their noses in it.

[Turbo_pro]

The dems are the party of racism.
Byrd is the old white racists that hated blacks, Obama is the young black (at least part black) democrat that blames whites.
Add to that the "soft" racism of low expectations for all people of color and all you have is racism at every level.

Oh wait, conservative expectation of Obama are so low that I guess they might qualify for the "soft" version. Well because they don't care what color he is, I guess they're just a realist not a raciest.

[island911]

Robert (kkk) Byrd was good at being a Democrat.

[Moses]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

I agree. we all know that the KKK was started and promoted by and was almostly exclusively made up of southern democrats, there is no reason to rub their noses in it.

Not so sure about that. The fact that Byrd had the support of a major political party is a national embarrassment.

I don't care what his politics were, the fact that a former KKK leader was elected to the US senate in the 21st century is shameful.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Another Democrat seat goes buh-bye. See ya.

[1968Cayman]

I can't say I'm sorry to see him go. Professional politicians piss me off and he was one of the most egregious offenders.

No incumbents this year, please.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by Moses

Not so sure about that. The fact that Byrd had the support of a major political party is a national embarrassment.

I don't care what his politics were, the fact that a former KKK leader was elected to the US senate in the 21st century is shameful.

Ok I shoulda put it in green but I figured it was pretty much implied

[Lothar]

The Governor gets to name a replacement, but that individual will soon after be renamed Robert C. Byrd, like everything else in WV.

[pwd72s]

Byrd said one thing I appreciated...shown photos of Teddy Kennedy screwing some bimbo while in an open boat, he said: "Well... I see Ted has changed his position on offshore drilling."